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dragonfruit

  • Thread starter pearldiver
  • Start date
Hi,

While moving two of my dragonfruit plants into the garage for the winter, I knocked off a large piece, several feet long.
dragonfruitsectionthatbrokeoff.jpg
It came from the plant to the right.
dragonfruit3.jpg
Another view.
dragonfruit4.jpg
I am not interested in rooting it at the time, and thought I would offer a segment to some of the members here. Email me at gnixon@satx.rr.com if interested, and I will figure how many pieces to chop in into.:) It is frost intolerant, and will have to be protected in the winter. That being said, two plants in the front of my house that are so attached to the brickwork I left them in place with a few christmas lights to keep a bit of warmth survived a dip the other night into the 20's. Big, rangey, and hard to handle with small but deceptively painful spines, the flowers when you get em' are massive and very fragrant. Almost as big as a dinner plate.
DF2.jpg

If you wish to give it a try, let me know. PD

Ciao!
 
Is it Epiphyllum? What color are the blooms?
 
oh man i would do anything to have some dragon fruit again, its been my number1 craving for fruit for the last 8 or so years, whats the flesh color of the one your giving out?
 
The plant we are discussing has never given me any fruit. Actually none of them have. One of them flowered and started to produce a fruit, but it after a time shriveled up and dropped off. I have had flower buds do that sometimes. They seem to grow different in temperate climes than in more tropical. Makes sense.:) I have seen pictures of them in their preferred climes where they grow almost like a shrubby tree, with the "trunk" almost a foot wide. Not here. Blooming and fruiting can be a bit dicey. I just hope for flowers once in awhile. I am unsure of the fruit color. Though I think all the flowers are white, and the fruit color is one of three or four. Yellow, red, and...? I have only seen the red ones in stores, and rarely at that.

---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 PM ----------

The flowers one mine have been white. I think they all are, and the difference comes in in the color of the flesh or outside of the fruit.
 
I started some dragon fruit from seeds about 4 months ago and out of 100 seeds only 3 germinated.... and they ate only about an inch tall. What are you asking for in return for a cutting?
 
At this point, nothing. If you have something you wish to send my way in the spring, all the better. But this is at no obligation. Just send me your mailing info via email gnixon@satx.rr.com or by pm. If the pm box gets full try a bit later.:)
 
pearldiver i have sent you an email to see if you had any dragon fuit cuttings left.
 
i sent you an email too, thanks!
 
Sure! There is still around three feet left, so several left. Sing out if you are sitting on the fence.
 
  • #10
Pearl, I would absolutely like to give this a try if you still have some! Does paypal work for you for shipping?
Thanks,
Kyle
 
  • #11
ahh ya i herd here in the US its hard for them to set fruit, not only because of climate but also because we dont have many night time pollinators. I believe they are a form of cacti or some how related? I did read up on the fruiting process and did read somewhere that they will only fruit if they have enough support for the vine that sets the fruit as the fruit is as big as a dinner plate(but very much worth all the pain and hassle of keeping it fruiting) if im able to get any fruit from it i'll let you know if i did anything out of the norm and i'll mail ya a fruit :)
The fruit them selves do go bad pretty quick after turning ripe
 
  • #12
There is a lot of info on the web about them. Often you see a support system of of wires between the plants. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...98TjCQ&usg=AFQjCNFEWHO1vsAxbeHNY1X6C1DshzvxQg

It would appear that the flesh varies by variety. Of which there are quite a few evidently. I saw a link in a Google search for a place with at least ten or fifteen different ones. Maybe if I get a couple of flowers at the same time next year I will try to hand pollinate them and see what happens. It couldn't hurt. Four went out in the mail today by the way.

---------- Post added at 08:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:50 PM ----------

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...8b3HCQ&usg=AFQjCNE-loSjGpcs9hnir-0KOzBwhh4EcA
 
  • #13
I'll take a section if there's still some available. :) I live on what would be the edge of this species' tolerance - I'm zone 10a, we generally get a few very light frosts in the winter. It's not so much that I'm concerned about, but the prolonged cool temperatures since our winter highs are normally only about 60 degrees, as well as the moisture that accompanies that. But I have a nice sunny space that I think should work, next to a Japanese maple that would provide protection and something to climb.

I do have an Epiphyllum (another tropical cactus) in my yard that I'm growing as an epiphyte, and it's been handling the winter like a champ so far.
 
  • #14
@ Natalie i used to live in Vietnam for some time and i believe during the rainy season it would dip into the 60s so you may be fine for it, as long as its in a well drained soil it can take the water but i have never grown this plant before
 
  • #16
the white flesh is less sweet but sometimes they can be very sweet if you let them get a little over ripe, theres also a pink flesh along with a deep red flesh too
 
  • #17
ive had the red, white, and costa rican ones
hate them all but the costa rican
 
  • #18
I have some seedlings and a self-pollinating variety. With a lot of sun, water, and fertilizer, they grow big fast. My plant last year got about six feet tall and started climbing a brick wall next to it. This year I killed most of it when I put it in the sun too soon after being inside all winter. I believe if you're careful, you can get them to flower in most climates (I live in michigan), though pollinating might still be an issue (unless you want to stay up all night..)
 
  • #19
I believe they are all out, save one. I have enough for maybe four more small cuttings should anyone else be interested. Likewise, should anyone receive theirs and the mail system mangled it beyond recognition, let me know and I will send a replacement. Cheers!
 
  • #20
oh yes i will stay up all night just to pollinate and get fruit lol this has been a craving of mine for quite some time lol

Pearl the cutting arrived safe and its now all potted up :D
 
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